"Eigenvector" wrote in message news:JZOdneGS-
I guess my question is, if I restain it, do I need to apply varnish to
seal or are there better alternatives? What if I like the original color
and simply want to seal/complete the finish from weathering (hands,
kitchen smoke, traffic, etc..)

I'm used to working with linseed oil, I use it to refinish my gunstocks,
but something tells me I don't want something that flammable in the
kitchen.

Linseed oil would not be flammable once cured,but is still a poor choice for
a kitchen. I'd go with a polyurethane as it is easy to clean.